Bonus Room - May/June 2008

May/June 2008 Issue | Posted by Lynn Wehner in Bonus Room

Kindness. The state of being “sympathetic, friendly, gentle, tenderhearted, generous.”

— Webster’s New World Dictionary

“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love he had for us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ (by grace you have been saved), raised us up with him, and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.”

— Ephesians 2:6-7

FIVE Ways to Use FIVE Minutes

Be kind. It really sounds so easy! Here are a few ways to make it a reality in your home ...

1. WRITE a colorful note that praises an accomplishment or quality of a family member — and post it on the fridge for all to see!

2. Stop the madness. Next time you’re in the middle of a family squabble, ask everyone to stop and say one kind thing to the family member next to them.

3. READALOUD the Gospel of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). Now there’s renewed inspiration to be kind!

4. LOOK directly at your child who is talking to you. Let him know that, in that moment, “you’re all his.”

5. THINK of a long-overdue

compliment to share with your spouse — and share it!

Well said!

“You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.” 

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

“How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a weary world.”

— William Shakespeare

“Kindness is in our power, even when fondness is not.” 

— Samuel Johnson

‘How-To’ Tips

May is the month of Mary — our perfect model for kindness.

How about honoring the Blessed Mother by planting a “Mary Garden” in your yard or at your parish this Spring? Here are a few ideas for making yours special …

1. Use flowers whose names have obvious meaning, such as: Bleeding Hearts, Passion Flowers, Bee Balm (“Sweet Mary”), Forget-Me-Nots (“Eyes of Mary”), the Turban Lily (“Mary’s Tears”), and Periwinkles (“Virgin Flowers”).

2. Lay out 10 stepping stones for a “Rosary walk.” Stones can even be homemade, by pouring concrete and decorating with various decorative stones and “jewels” before they dry.

3. Of course choose a beautiful statue of Our Lady for the centerpiece.

4. Have a priest bless your Mary garden on a special Marian feast day.

5. The Mary’s Gardens website (MGardens.org) was founded to “research the hundreds of flowers named in medieval times as symbols of the life, mysteries, and privileges of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus.” It is a wealth of information.

6. Also check out the ideas and pictures at CatholicMom.com (“Mary Gardens”).

7. Finally, for more inspiration, pick up a copy of Vincenzina Krymow’s Mary’s Flowers: Gardens, Legends, and Meditations ($13.57 at Amazon.com).

Win! Win!

This issue’s prize is a wonderful selection of books provided by Aquinas and More Catholic Goods (AquinasAndMore.com): Outnumbered!, 7 Steps to Becoming Financially Free, It’s So You!, Discipline That Lasts a Lifetime, A Mother’s Rule of Life, and Angel in the Waters.

Congratulations to last issue’s winner,

Susan Renner of Milford, Ohio.

How to win! Just participate in any of our “Homework” requests throughout the magazine, or send your name, postal and email addresses to Homework — see page 6 for contact information.

Precious Words

The Extra Mile

My 3-year-old daughter participated in an Easter egg hunt where she collected a full bag of eggs. When she showed them to me, I said, “Wow! You got a lot of eggs! You could share some with kids that didn’t get very many.” Her eyes got wide and she said, “Some kids didn’t get so much?” She then proceeded to give away every last one of her eggs with a smile on her face.

Tight Squeeze

When explaining why I was squeezing into the back of the minivan instead of letting Grandpa do it (he’s 6’2”, 300 lbs), I told my 6-year-old daughter Teresa, “Grandpa wouldn’t fit well because he is so tall.” She replied, “Yeah, he’s too tall, and

too ... well, I guess I shouldn’t say that!”

Final Judgment

Two of my children, ages 6 and 4, came crying to me with an “I had it first” dispute. Before I could settle it, my 1-year-old, who was very upset by the disturbance, decided to be the judge. She quickly snatched away the toy from her 6-year-old sister and gave it to my 4-year-old!

Kind Spats

In my daughter’s “Little Flowers” group, the virtue for the month was “generosity.” My daughter told her teacher, “Me and my sister have generous arguments, like this: ‘You have it! No, you have it!’”

Surprise!

It was the beginning of the day for my first grade class. Ben came up to my desk with a very special gift. I opened it to find a tiny heart-shaped box with a pretty flower on it. I thanked him for his sweet gift. Then beaming he said, “My mother said I could give it to you because she didn’t want it anymore!”